Bulgarian clarinetist and conductor Marian Bozhidarov is the winner of a number of international (instrumental) competitions such as Whitgift International Music Competition and International Competition ‘Eugene Coca’ (also, achieving composer Oleg Negruta’s award for best performed obligatory piece) amongst others. He has participated in masterclasses with world renowned musicians such as Yehuda Gilad, Nicolas Baldeyrou, Petko Radev, and Philippe Cuper amongst others. He has also won every major music competition in Bulgaria by the age of 16 as well as being a category finalist in BBC’s Young Musician Competition in 2020.
Marian is thankful and has the great fortune to be a student in the Malko Academy for Young Conductors in Copenhagen, Denmark. Being a part of the first international edition of the Malko Academy, Marian is one of six young conductors who have the opportunity to gain experience through monthly rehearsals, tuition and general guidance in the art of conducting, delivered caringly by the internationally acclaimed conductors and teachers at the academy Henrik Vagn Christensen and Ole Faurschou. The Malko Academy has also made it possible for Marian and his colleagues to meet, talk with and learn from the legendary conductor Herbert Blomstedt, have a multi-session masterclass with the principal conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra - Fabio Luisi, have lessons with the appointed chief conductor of the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and Malko Competition 2021 winner Dmitry Matvienko, a masterclass with the world renowned conducting teacher Johannes Schlaefli and meetings consultations with prof. Harry Curtis (Berlin) and Arturo Alvarado (Helsinki) amongst other incredibly valuable opportunities and events for any young conductor.
As a clarinettist, Marian made his debut on the London music scene in 2018 playing Mozart's clarinet concerto in Cadogan Hall in collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Subsequently, the young musician has played extensively in venues around London such as the Barbican Hall, St. Luke's and Wigmore Hall amongst others, both as a recitalist and as principal clarinet of the Guildhall School Symphony Orchestra.
Currently, Marian Bozhidarov is a member of the orchestra at the State Opera in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria and is working as a freelance conductor. Marian is very much looking forward to yet another invaluable masterclass with Maestro Fabio Luisi on Carl Nielsen's Second Symphony in June 2024 as well as a masterclass with the internationally sought-after Slovenian conductor of vocal music Martina Batič, in collaboration with the Danish National Vocal Ensemble.
